


M is for Midnight

by KateKintail



Series: The ABC Series 2006 [13]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Hurt/Comfort, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-02-03
Updated: 2013-02-03
Packaged: 2017-11-28 01:49:34
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Underage
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,512
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/668884
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KateKintail/pseuds/KateKintail
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Impatient and worried, Cedric shifted his weight from one foot to the other and back again.</p>
            </blockquote>





	M is for Midnight

**Author's Note:**

> This is part of a collection of short H/C ficlets (they were supposed to be drabbles but I'm terrible at writing short things) from various fandoms. I asked on one of my LiveJournals for one word for each letter of the alphabet, as well as a fandom and/or pairing.

Impatient and worried, Cedric shifted his weight from one foot to the other and back again. Hidden in the shadows against the darkest portion of the astronomy tower wall, Cedric tried to estimate the time. He wished he could see out the window so that he might get a sense of the time by the position of the stars and the moon. But he refused to show himself, just in case a professor or a ghost were to come by or look up at the window and see him. Instead, he hid back and tried to remain invisible.  
  
This was easier said than done. He had succeeded in being out of sight but he could still be heard and, at the moment, there was quite a lot going on with him for people to hear. "huhh-chumphhhh! Snff!"   
  
Luckily, Cedric had a perfectly good yellow and black striped scarf to muffle the sounds his wretched head cold caused. Sniffles and coughs had only been the start of it. The sneezes were the hardest part to manage- strong and unpredictable. He tried pinching his nose between thumb and forefinger, his breaths warm against his hand. But only about half the time did that work to hold back the sneezes. The rest of the time he just had to hope no one was there to hear.   
  
He looked forward to being able to leave the tower and head down to the Hufflepuff rooms where he could cough and sneeze freely and be as loud as he needed to be. But even the most annoying head cold in the world could not keep him from this important visit with Oliver.   
  
Their first meeting of this kind had occurred completely by accident after a Hufflepuff verses Slytherin match. It had been so enjoyable, such a release of all the tension Cedric had been feeling all day. They had talked about Quidditch all the way through the kissing and the lovemaking. But the next time they met up there was less talking about sport, and the same with the time after that. It was still a tradition that they would meet up at midnight after every game, whether they played or not, but they didn't need to make any excuses about why any longer.   
  
This midnight rendezvous was all about the sex.   
  
Cedric was now sure that it must be past Midnight by now. And still no Oliver. Not that Cedric was too surprised. After all, this had to end sometime and Oliver probably had better things to do tonight now that he had finally one the Quidditch cup.   
  
"Sniff! Sniff!" He knew he really should be going, as well. "ehhh-Chumphh! hehhhChmmph!" He should be in bed, nursing his cold, not up on the cold astronomy tower, sniffling madly and smothering his sneezes into an already-damp scarf. "hehhh-ehhh..."   
  
Hearing footsteps on the stairway, Cedric pinched his nose again. His nose was still tickly but the sneeze was kept in check until... "Oliver?" Cedric heaved a great sigh of relief, and by then the sneeze had indeed gone. The handsome face of burly Oliver Wood appeared from the darkness of the doorway to the tower. Cedric found he was smiling at the image. "I thought you might not be coming," Cedric admitted. "It's getting late."  
  
"It's still five minutes away from midnight," Oliver replied. "So I'm early, if anything. But why wouldn't I show up?" He walked over to Cedric, who suddenly looked shy.  
  
Shrugging, "I just thought you might be too busy celebrating with the Gryffindors."  
  
Oliver gave him a sly smile. "Want to celebrate with you now." He stepped closer and put his hands on Cedric's hips. He leaned forward and placed a kiss on Cedric's cheek.   
  
Cedric blinked confusedly. "This must be the happiest day of your life... so why is it you're not incredibly ecstatic right now?" Oliver should have been bouncing off the walls, but his kiss had been conservative.   
  
There was a pause, during which Oliver looked torn and thoughtful. Then he sighed. "Aye... well... I'm a bit sore. My back is... and I pulled a muscle during the game and it smarts something awful."  
  
"Why didn't you go to Madam Pomfrey about it?" asked Cedric concernedly.   
  
"Why didn't you go when you came down sick?" Oliver replied in kind.   
  
Incredulously, "How did you know?"  
  
Oliver's hands rubbed gently against Cedric's hips, and he moved closer, their fronts just barely brushing. "D'you think I haven't learned a thing or two about ye in all the time we've been having these midnight meetings?"  
  
Cedric smiled and leaned into a wonderful kiss. They took advantage of their seclusion, at the top of a long stair in the middle of the night, by taking their time to enjoy the experience. The kiss was slow and lovely, intense andâ€" "I'm sorry!" Cedric pulled back, alarm in his expression. He gathered one end of his scarf and covered the lower half of his face with it. "ehhh-HShphh! hehhChumph! Ah..." He sighed, shaking his head. "So sorry. Sniff! This is a rotten cold. Sniff-sniff!"   
  
Oliver looked concerned and he gently stroked the side of Cedric's face. "That's okay. Maybe we should just skip the kissing tonight?"  
  
Cedric nodded eagerly at once. His hands pulled at Oliver's robes and he pressed his body hard against Oliver's, rubbing, grinding. He wanted to touch those lovely cup-winning muscles and feel the strong chest against his own.   
  
But he must have touched the wrong spot a tad too hard because Oliver winced and drew a sharp breath.  
  
"Sorry!" Cedric apologized and pulled back again. He looked down, concerned. "Oliver... what muscle did you pull?"   
  
Oliver rubbed the back of his neck and embarrassingly mumbled something.   
  
Cedric was far too kind to laugh, but he had to contain his amusement about the situation. "Perhaps we should skip *that* part tonight, as well?"   
  
"What a pair we are!" Oliver agreed with a nod and a laugh. He threw his head back and looked up at the sky. The moon overhead was nearly full and it glowed brightly down upon them. It reflected in Oliver's eyes and he leaned back against the wall which enclosed the top of the tower, ensuring students did not fall.   
  
Cedric stood where he was, rubbing his nose and watching Oliver. He was not sure what there was to say now. Without the sex... They could go back to talking about Quidditch, but surely there was more they could say to each other than that. But what?   
  
"Ced... do you ever think about the future? Do you think about what you want to do after Hogwarts?"   
  
Well, that was something. "Not very often. But I still have loads of time. Why?"   
  
Oliver shrugged and looked down. Down at his feet, and then down over the side of the tower towards the roof of the castle and below that to the grassy ground. "I guess I'm worried I might not make it professionally. What am I good for, if not Quidditch?"   
  
Cedric certainly wasn't going to answer 'sex', because there was something more important going on. Cedric could only think of one thing that would make Oliver thing like this, especially after such a spectacular win. "Let me see your back."   
  
Oliver turned and let Cedric pull up his robes and shirt. There were several quaffle-sized bruises on his back and one larger one, clearly made by a beater's bat. The bruises were a terrible mix of blues and purples and browns and when he pulled the clothing back into place, Oliver winced again.   
  
Cedric understood the older boy was worried about the sort of fleeting careers most Quidditch players had. One serious injury and that was the end for them. "Sniff! You wouldn't really let fear of uncertainty keep you from playing, would you?" Cedric asked. He scrubbed at his nose with the back of his hand, but the intensity of the tickle in his nose told him not to bother. He turned away from Oliver buried his face in his scarf again. "h'Mmmphh! Huhh-Chmph! Sniff! Excuse me."   
  
Digging a handkerchief out of his pocket, Oliver offered it over, and Cedric took it gladly. He blew his nose. "Thank you. Sniff! Really, Oliver, what are you going on about? You're a smashing good keeper."   
  
Oliver beamed. "I know."  
  
Laughing, "And you're humble, too!"  
  
Oliver punched his arm, laughing as well. Then he pulled Cedric close again with a sigh. "I know we're not going to... tonight, but can we stay up here just a little longer together? It's only a few minutes past midnight. Will you be all right?"   
  
Cedric nodded, his face screwing up again. He quickly lifted Oliver's handkerchief to his face. "hahh-Chuhhhh!"   
  
He was grateful when Oliver held him warmly. He thanked Oliver by massaging his shoulders, careful not to hurt him. And Oliver was careful to give him plenty of room whenever he needed to sneeze. Cedric was more than happy to stay that way as long as Oliver wanted, not missing the sex for a moment.


End file.
